Official Game Thread: Pelicans at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

“I’m drinking Milk, though. And for the next couple of seasons, I’ll be working out!”

 

Playing in November, the dimpled leather ball in his hands, with the game hanging in the balance off his heave at the end of regulation.

Did Matt Ryan ever imagine this, in his wildest dreams? No, of course, not that one.

New Orleans coach Willie Green had to rely on rookie Dyson Daniels and second-year pro Trey Murphy in the clutch on Wednesday night at Crypto, lacking either scoring ace Brandon Ingram (back yesterday, after missing nearly five games due to concussion protocols) and defensive specialist Herb Jones (back after missing four games, knee hypertension). The visiting Pelicans almost pulled off a 2-game Crypto sweep this week, against the Lakers and Clips.

But up three and securing the rebound on one of Lonnie Walker’s rare misses for the Lakers that evening, Daniels was fouled and missed both freebies with under two seconds remaining. Enter Matty Sleet.

Austin “Big County” Reaves inbounded a cross-court pass to Ryan, and with Murphy a shade late on the closeout, Ryan splashed a corner three to force overtime. NBA Top 75’ers LeBron and AD were involved in this play, but only as decoys.

Poor shooting and an inability to rebound, as Green resorted to Larry Nance, Jr. instead of Jonas Valanciunas in the extra frame, helped the Lakers avoid overstepping Imhotep Irving for the top segment on First Take the next morning.

The ways in which Green’s and Nate McMillan’s teams, entering tonight’s clash (7:30 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, BS New Orleans) at State Farm Arena, would be heralded at the early point in this season would be so much higher, but for some key slip-ups. In New Orleans’ case, having to scramble back last week from a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit at home versus the juggernaut Jazz, only to blow another late lead and then fall short in OT, wasn’t the best look, at the time.

At least they could point to injuries among their starters, though. In addition to losing Ingram early versus Utah, they had to rest Zion Williamson, whose hip took (arguably) the worst of a collision with the floor in that game, ahead of what could have been a pivotal contest in Phoenix. The loss to the Suns snuffed out any momentum that would have been gained after their shorthanded victory over visiting Dallas two nights earlier.

With Ingram and Williamson back, the Pels (5-3) face a Hawks team that fell behind too deeply versus the LaMelo-less Hornets, the Middleton-less Bucks, and the Van Vleet-less Raptors. Frankly, as scintillating was Wednesday’s numbing of the Knicks, the 23-point hole Atlanta (5-3) dug for themselves was unnecessary. A slow-boil, 42-point late-game lead would have been more satisfying than the table-turning 42-point swing, commandeered with aplomb by Dejounte Murray (career-best 36 points, 9 helpers, 6 thefts) and McMillan’s mid-game shift to a confounding zone defense.

Three-pointers will be in short supply tonight, in part due to low shot-volumes (both teams bottom-3 in 3FGAs per 100 possessions) and also what should be unnerving perimeter defense (both teams top-6 for opponent 3FG%).

Murray and Ingram (26 points, 5 assists in last night’s fun-run, a 114-105 win vs. DNP-CD GSW) will cancel each other offensively out from the mid-range, as will Trae Young and Milk-Does-A-Body-Good C.J. McCollum shooting from outside and dishing on drives. The relatively rested Hawk bigs need to be more relentless than Williamson, Valanciunas and Nance in attacking the interior, finishing guard-generated opportunities around the rim (Clint’s 57.1 FG% ranks 9^th among 10 NBA’ers w/ 8+ paint touches/game) and converting fouls into And-1 buckets.

Like the Falcons, the Hawks could use a big win this weekend to maintain a lead in their division. Sadly, Matt Ryan won’t be around to save Atlanta in a close affair this evening. Neither of them, although just one could conceivably be available. Since he’s not being used all that much on the gridiron, maybe Drake London can chip in for the Hawks tonight?

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Trae remains listed as Questionable after getting poked in the eye in the Knicks game. Tyrese and the G-Leaguers are listed as Available after the Skyhawks blew out Long Island's Nets last night in CPK.

Backup guard Kira Lewis (ACL injury recovery) is the sole non-G-Leaguer on the NOPEs' side of the injury ledger.

~lw3

[Spud2nique]

21 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

But up three and securing the rebound on one of Lonnie Walker’s

I was playing 2K with Lonnie, fell asleep, woke up and thought I was lookin at Byron Scott… they must have the same barber or something…  

 

23 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Austin “Big County” Reaves

 County  

 

24 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Jonas Valanciunas

It would be impossible to get over a screen on this guy to contest Trae’s shots… or for that matter, Dejounte now. 

 

26 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Milk-Does-A-Body-Good C.J. McCollum

Was that really my boy? That pic up top? He looks like he weighs 75 pounds soaking wet. No @kg01 he won’t be featured soaking wet don’t .. 

 

27 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Drake London

Baller he really was a “Mike Evans” type. Great pick Falcons.

Nice work lw3! 
 

Let’s get this thing in the bayou!!!

Inspirational speech  

 

GO HAWKS!!!!!!

ps Vegas got Hawks -1

31 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Trae remains listed as Questionable after getting poked in the eye in the Knicks game

Trae baby let’s go!!!! (I mean if you can lol). I know he’s a gamer.

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, Spud2nique said:

Let’s get this thing in the bayou!!!

Why did I think the game was in Nawlins….. ? …I know I think I thought I saw a puddy…   

[Spud2nique]

Hawks up 7 at the half 54-47

[Spud2nique]

End of 3…

@lethalweapon3 

[Atlantaholic]

Another tough matchup for us. New Orleans always kills us inside with JV and company. Currently, they rank 6th in Oreb and we rank 26th in Oreb allowed. If we can find a way to rebound we have a great shot. If not...

Would like for us to try to play active defense and get some steals. The more turnovers we force the better our chances imo.

[Spud2nique]

Hawks by 10 tonight. Mark it dude.

[MaceCase]

Clint made a bunny!

Zion had enough of the guard switches 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Good pass and scoop layup from Trae and Dejounte.

 

 

[Dnice]

McCollum torching, don't get ate up on them screens. 

Edited November 5, 2022 by Dnice

[MaceCase]

That reverse was nasty but I’m laughing that Trae is orchestrating almost entirely from outside the perimeter. 

[Dnice]

Spud, are you subscribed to that uniform  site?

[JayBirdHawk]

3 minutes ago, MaceCase said:

That reverse was nasty but I’m laughing that Trae is orchestrating almost entirely from outside the perimeter. 

Waaaaay outside the perimter..he's in the center circle, lol.

 

 

[MaceCase]

It’s a journey but the bigs are shutting down the paint.  That foul was tough on John, feel he’s been defending well. 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Capela has some pep in his step tonight.  Very active.

[JayBirdHawk]

Capela got springs in his legs tonight.

[Marvin24Williams]

Capela saving the ball to pad his rebound stats 

[JayBirdHawk]

Helter skelter!

[NBASupes]

We need Holiday to knock down these open corner 3s.